DRC Civil Society Demands New Military Operations Against ADF Rebels in Ituri

Civil society in the Democratic Republic of Congo's Ituri province is once again sounding the alarm over civilian massacres by ADF rebels in the southern Irumu territory. In a statement Saturday in Bunia, local civil society representatives implored the new provincial authorities to immediately launch fresh military operations against the insurgents.

The ADF have been perpetrating atrocities against the local population for years, particularly along the Komanda-Luna-Mambasa road. These acts of violence have reportedly claimed thousands of lives in recent years. Residents in numerous villages across the chiefdoms of Walese Vonkutu, Basili, and Banyali Tchabi continue to suffer severe abuses. These include repeated massacres, the abduction of civilians, with women reportedly used as sex slaves, as well as the burning of homes, shops, and motorcycles, and livestock theft.

Pascal Kisezo, president of the local civil society, stressed the urgency of the situation. "The activism of the ADF deserves particular attention to preserve stability in the region and allow the population, mostly farmers, to access their fields without fear," he stated. This plea comes even as Ugandan and Congolese armies have been conducting joint operations against the ADF in southern Irumu and the neighboring Mambasa territory for over two years.

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the activism of the ADF deserves particular attention to preserve stability in the region to allow the populations, mostly farmers, to access their fields without being worried.